Album Notes

The Hoover Uprights resulted from a casual afternoon of music organized by John Schwab in January of 1993. Responding to his old friend Bill Schmidt's complaint that he hadn't played much music since leaving the Double Decker String Band (which he has since rejoined), John suggested a session with Kate Brett and Kevin Enoch, two fairly recent arrivals to the Washington area. The four got together at Kate and Kevin's house and hit it off immediately, both musically and personally. The six inches of snow that fell that afternoon was hardly noticed as they discovered their common bond in the music.

Several years later Kevin introduced harmonica player Dave Rice, a friend from Ohio, to the band. After a few sessions with the Hoovers at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, Dave already felt like a member of the band. He was invited to join and plays with them whenever possible.

The band's name, which came to Kevin one day while cleaning house, had no significance or meaning - mostly it was the only suggested name that nobody hated. Subsequently, the Hoover Company found out about this and, rather than taking them to court, printed a story about the band in an issue of the Hoover News.

A typical Hoover "practice" is more like a social event, with as much laughter, conversation, and general fooling around as there is music-making. The Hoovers play dances and concerts, and in 2001 and 2003 won first prize in the traditional band contest at Clifftop.